Natural disasters, such as storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions, and human conflicts, such as war, often result in the displacement of large numbers of people, who are typically referred to as “refugees”. As the result of the loss of and/or geographic displacement from their original housing, refugees often require temporary structures, such as temporary housing and storage facilities, until they are able to rebuild and/or return to their original dwellings. In addition, personnel providing aid (e.g., food, medical care and logistical support) to the refugees may also require temporary housing and storage facilities for their own use.
In the past, tents have been used to provide temporary shelter for refugees, aid personnel and materials. While typically light weight, low in cost, and relatively easy to transport, erect and break-down, tents typically provide less than desirable protection from environmental elements, such as rain, snow, wind and hot and/or cold ambient temperatures.
Temporary housing and storage structures that provide more substantial protection from environmental elements have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,410 describes a double-walled emergency housing structure that includes separate inner and outer wall panels that are snap fastened to the exterior of upwardly facing U-shaped bottom channels and downwardly facing U-shaped top channels. The U-shaped bottom channels of the emergency housing structure of the '410 patent are further described as being fastened to a base or foundation.
It would be desirable to develop new enclosed structures that may be used to provide temporary or emergency shelters or dwellings for use by, for example, displaced persons and aid personnel. It would be further desirable that such newly developed enclosed structures provide a desirable balance of: logistical concerns, such as, cost, ease of construction and break-down, and efficient transport and storage of components; and physical attributes, such as, sturdiness, sufficient interior space, weather resistance and weather imperviousness.